Day 1 - Meet the Organisms: Introduction to the organisms of Narragansett Bay - Students will be introduced to the Narragansett Bay ecosystem, by researching various endemic species in the bay and learn how they are dependent on each other. Students will accomplish this by creating fact sheets for the species that they are investigating. Students will demonstrate dependency on other organisms by creating food chains with their particular species. The food chains that the students make will then be combined into a larger food web, that the whole class will created together.
Day 2 - Invasive/Introduced Species - Students will investigate how invasive species impact the Narragansett Bay ecosystem. They will learn how invasive species are introduced to the ecosystem and then research what is being done to prevent them from causing ecological damage. Student groups will be assigned an invasive species and add them to the class food web to evaluate their impact on the balance of the ecosystem.
Day 3 - Human impact and habitat destruction - Students will investigate how humans have manipulated the bay, causing loss to habitat. Students will then investigate how habitat destruction has impacted various species in the bay and investigate whether or not that might have an impact on the class food web.
Day 4 - The Impact of Pollution - Students will be introduced to various sources and types of pollution in Narragansett Bay. The difference between point and nonpoint sources will be discussed. Students will create model watersheds and experiment how pollution in one area can trickle down and impact other regions of the bay. Newspaper articles and other various resources will be used to analyze the current issue of pollution in Narragansett Bay.
Day 5 - The Impact of Global WarmingI - Students will begin to look at Narragansett Bay as part of a global picture, impacted by global problems such as global warming. The impacts of global warming on the bay will be identified and discussed. Students will predict and investigate the effect carbon dioxide has on temperature.
Day 6 - The Impact of Global Warming II - Students will be introduced to the concept of greenhouse gases by analyzing raw data from Mauna Loa, where the original global warming research took place. Also they will investigate how global warming might impact their lives.
Day 7 - Research and Development Day - Students will be given time in class to research a particular environmental issue in Narragansett Bay. They will then work to create a public awareness brochure with details of this environmental issue.
Day 8 - Presentation Day - Students will make a five minute presentation of their brochure. Class will discuss as a whole what they have learned from this unit. Time will be given for questions or future enrichment or investigation.
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